Union Minister slams UP govt’s move to include 17 OBCs in SC list

New Delhi: Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot on Tuesday said the BJP- led Uttar Pradesh government’s move to include 17 communities belonging to OBCs in the Scheduled Castes (SC) list is “unconstitutional”.

“This is not proper,” said the Union Minister in the Rajya Sabha after the matter was raised by BSP member Satish Chandra Misra during the Zero Hour.

Gehlot further said the order of the UP government was not in accordance with the Constitution.

The Minister also asked Yogi Adityanath government not to issue certificates based on the order else the matter may go to court.

Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Misra said under Article 341 sub-clause (2) of the Constitution, the power to make changes in the SC list lies only with Parliament.

On June 24, the Uttar Pradesh government directed district magistrates and commissioners to issue caste certificates to 17 OBCs – Kashyap, Rajbhar, Dhivar, Bind, Kumhar, Kahar, Kewat, Nishad, Bhar, Mallah, Prajapati, Dhimar, Batham, Turha, Godia, Manjhi and Machua.

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